A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a window, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a window for absorbing sunlight heat in warm weather that otherwise would flow uncontrolled therethrough and discharging the sunlight heat to the atmosphere while permitting relatively unobstructed vision therethrough and passing the sunlight heat in cold weather therethrough for thermal warming.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Window, door lights, and similar transparent structures probably represent the single greatest source of heat loss in cold weather and heat gain in warm weather in most buildings. Recognition of this fact has led to a number of widely accepted developments of which the passive “storm” window and the “thermal pane” insulating window are typical.
Although these devices are often quite effective in attenuating heat flow, nevertheless they fail to achieve truly optimum performance because they act only as heat barriers. Thus, these structures fail to provide some way to manipulate or take full advantage of the radiant solar heat energy that is incident upon the window or door light in question.
As heating and air conditioning costs increase, and as the fuels that are needed to provide this heating and air conditioning become more scarce, there is an unquestionable need to improve conservation and heat utilization technology.
Numerous innovations for windows and window-related devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described below, which are in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure, and/or operation, and/or purpose, from the embodiments of the present invention in that they do not teach a window for absorbing sunlight heat in warm weather that otherwise would flow uncontrolled therethrough and discharging the sunlight heat to the atmosphere while permitting relatively unobstructed vision therethrough and passing the sunlight heat in cold weather therethrough for thermal warming.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,734 to Nevins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,734 issued to Nevins on Oct. 27, 1981 in class 126 and subclass 431 teaches a heat sink in the form of a mesh interposed between two spaced panes in a window or door light. A combination of holes and passageways formed in the window sash frame members permit the selective establishment of convective air currents past the mesh to absorb the solar converted thermal heat stored in the sink. By manipulating the source of the air for these convective currents, i.e., from the inside or the outside of a building, and by choosing the volume into which the warmed air currents are to be discharged, i.e., inside or outside the building, significant heating and cooling efficiencies are achieved.(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,620 to Bliamptis.U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,620 issued to Bliamptis on Dec. 28, 1982 in class 126 and subclass 429 teaches a reversible, variably inclinable window with controlled convection for mounting in a window casing in a building for solar heating and cooling, including a window frame having top and bottom portions and being adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis intermediate the portions, a first window panel mounted in the frame capable of transmitting both visible and infrared radiation, a second window panel mounted in the frame and substantially parallel and in a spaced relationship to the first window panel and being capable of transmitting visible radiation and blocking infrared radiation, and openings proximate to the top and bottom portions for providing air passageways to space between the first and second window panels so that rotation of the assembly about its horizontal axis can place either of the panels toward the outside of the building for selective reflection or absorption of the radiant energy to enable heating or cooling of the interior space between the panels in order to utilize the properties of the air caused to pass therethrough. Sealing apparatus at the sides of the window casing is for sealing against the window frame while allowing for optimization of the inclination angle of the window with respect to radiant energy impinging thereon.(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,436 to Hager.U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,436 issued to Hager on May 10, 1983 in class 126 and subclass 429 teaches that the solar gain through a window assembly is maximized in cold weather, and minimized in warm weather. The window includes first and second transparent sheets with an open volume between the sheets. A selective light-reflecting device is disposed in the open volume allowing passage of light from one sheet to the other in cold weather, but preventing passage in warm weather. A vent in a first frame, mounting the first sheet, selectively allows the passage of air from the exterior of a building containing the window assembly to the volume between the reflecting device and the first sheet. The air is circulated and then passed back to the exterior of the building. Another vent in a second frame mounting the second sheet allows circulation of air from the interior of the building to between the transparent sheets and back to the building interior.(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,619 to Howe Jr.U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,619 issued to Howe Jr. on Mar. 25, 1986 in class 126 and subclass 431 teaches energy efficient window and skylight assemblies having self-contained ventilating systems. Two sheets of a transparent or translucent material are spaced-apart in parallel relationship so as to form an air flow channel between the sheets. An adjustable shade is positioned in the air flow channel to regulate the amount of sunlight passing through the window and skylight assemblies. A fan in the top or bottom of the assembly causes air to be drawn into the assembly and passed through the air flow channel where it absorbs heat from the shade and sides of the assembly. This air is then directed into the building to provide heat or is vented to the outside to decrease the heat gain in the building.(5) U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,984 to Cherveny.U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,984 issued to Cherveny on Nov. 12, 1991 in class 160 and subclass 7 teaches a solar heating device indicating the proper window covering status for maximum energy conservation. A support structure rests on the window sill, and suspends two thermistors. One thermistor is supported on the room side of drapery and the other thermistor is supported between the drapery and a window. When the net heat flow is inward from outside the room, the thermistor near the window will be warmer than the room side thermistor. When this occurs, the temperature-dependent resistances of thermistors, voltage divider resistances, and a comparator turn on a light-emitting diode. This indicates that the drapery should be opened to let solar radiation in to heat the room. Otherwise, the drapery should be closed to conserve the existing heat in the room.(6) U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,302 to Eisenbeisz.U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,302 issued to Eisenbeisz on Feb. 25, 1992 in class 454 and subclass 205 teaches a window for reducing heat gain or loss through windows by ventilating interior air at interior temperatures over the exterior of the window in a controlled circulation pattern using nozzle tubes with a plurality of transversely disposed air jet apertures mounted in the jambs and mullions. Interior air is ventilated by a fan or compressor into air supply tubing that is attached to the nozzle tubes. Preferably, the amount of air ventilated is less than or equal to the minimum amount of ventilation required under ventilation standards.(7) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2003/0168056 to Fidler.United States Patent Application Publication Number 2003/0168056 published to Fidler on Sep. 11, 2003 in class 126 and subclass 628 teaches a Venetian-blind-type solar heater. The top outer half of the slats are coated with a heat-absorbing material while the rest of the slats are coated with a non-heat-absorbing material. Thermal conduction in the metal slats heats the entire slat. The distance between the slats are half the width of the slat so that the slats overlap. The number of slats increases thereby increasing the total surface area available for heat transfer to the inside room air by convection and thermal radiation. When the orientation of the slats are reversed, the heat-absorbing surface area is shielded from outside solar radiation and any stray inside room radiation.(8) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0056272 to Durbin.United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0056272 published to Durbin on Mar. 17, 2005 in class 126 and subclass 628 teaches a portable solar heater for use with a window of an enclosed space of a building structure or vehicle. The portable solar heater includes a sheet metal body and a releasable support to mount the sheet metal body relative to an interior surface of the window. The sheet metal body includes a pair of oppositely facing surfaces separated by a thickness “t” of the sheet metal. One of the surfaces is a window-facing surface and is a highly solar-energy-absorptive surface.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for windows and window-related devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a window for absorbing sunlight heat in warm weather that otherwise would flow uncontrolled therethrough and discharging the sunlight heat to the atmosphere while permitting relatively unobstructed vision therethrough and passing the sunlight heat in cold weather therethrough for thermal warming.